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Peter Wright returns to winning ways at the World Darts Championship as Woodhouse downs De Decker

Jamie Shaw in World Darts Championship 18 Dec 2024

Peter Wright celebrates (Photo by PDC)

Peter Wright ended his drought in major competition with a battling win over Wesley Plaisier to kick off his quest for a third World Darts Championship title on Tuesday.

Wright was the star attraction on Day Three at Alexandra Palace, and the two-time World Champion returned to winning ways after a torrid spell of recent results.

The colourful Scot defied a mid-game fightback from Plaisier to secure his first victory in a televised ranking event since March’s UK Open.

He will now face in-form Jermaine Wattimena in the Last 32 after Christmas, and admitted: “The crowd got me through that whole match.

“The support did spur me on. I didn’t want to let them down, I didn’t want to let my family down, and thankfully I got away with it tonight.

“It’s nice to see Jermaine playing some fantastic darts, so I’ve got to step up, but class is permanent, and form is temporary!”

Wright seized the early initiative with a 13-darter on tops, before profiting from eight missed set darts from Plaisier to double his advantage.

The Dutchman halved the deficit with a clean sweep in set three – sealed with a superb 136 checkout – only for Wright to complete a dramatic comeback in the fourth to book his spot in Round Three.

Meanwhile, World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker became the second seed to crash out of the competition following a 3-1 loss to European Championship semi-finalist Luke Woodhouse.

Alexandra Palace has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for De Decker, and that pattern continued as Woodhouse punished a below-par display from the Belgian to move through to the Last 32.

“It wasn’t an Ally Pally classic by any means, but to be in the last 32 is unbelievable,” reflected Woodhouse.

“It’s a massive achievement, and if I can come here and put a full performance together, I have definitely got the potential to go far.

“Connor [Scutt] is playing brilliantly, Damon [Heta] is a fantastic player who has proven himself over the last three to four years, but why can’t I have a run?”

Tuesday’s double session saw a further six first round ties take place, as Ryan Meikle denied Fallon Sherrock another history-making moment on the World Championship stage.

Meikle landed a trio of ton-plus checkouts on his way to a hard-fought deciding-set victory, taking out 111, 119 and 122 before sealing his progress with a 12-dart break of throw to set up a showdown with Luke Littler on Saturday.

“It was a massive battle, so I’m very relieved to get through,” said Meikle.

“I’m really excited. Luke is an unbelievable player, but I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ve got a chance. I’m still here, so you never know – I am just going to play my own game.”

Sherrock exited the tournament alongside fellow Women’s Series star Noa-Lynn van Leuven – who succumbed 3-1 to fellow Dutch darter Kevin Doets.

Van Leuven became the first transgender player to compete in the PDC World Championship, and started brightly by securing the first set, but only for Doets to punish crucial missed doubles and reel off three in a row.

Doets will now renew his rivalry with 2023 World Champion Michael Smith in the Second Round on Thursday, signalling a repeat of their clash on opening night last year.

Jeffrey de Graaf survived a scare to see off debutant qualifier Rashad Sweeting – who became the first player from the Bahamas to compete at the World Championship.

Sweeting captured the hearts of the Ally Pally crowd with an entertaining display and threatened to cause a huge shock after moving to the cusp of a two-set lead.

However, the debutant squandered five darts at doubles for a 2-0 lead, and De Graaf capitalised with a clinical 107 checkout to draw level, which sparked an impressive turnaround.

Ricardo Pietreczko enjoyed a winning return at Ally Pally, accounting for China’s premier player Xiaochen Zong in straight sets to move through to a meeting with Gian van Veen.

Ryan Joyce denied Darius Labanauskas in a battle of the former quarter-finalists to continue his impressive form, with Dutch number two Danny Noppert awaiting Joyce in round two.

Elsewhere, James Hurrell won through to a second round tie against three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen, after marking his debut with an emphatic straight sets victory over Canada’s Jim Long.

World Darts Championship 2024/25 Day Three Results

Tuesday December 17

Afternoon Session
James Hurrell 3-0 Jim Long (R1)
Kevin Doets 3-1 Noa-Lynn van Leuven (R1)
Ryan Joyce 3-1 Darius Labanauskas (R1)
Mike De Decker 1-3 Luke Woodhouse (R2)

Evening Session
Jeffrey de Graaf 3-1 Rashad Sweeting (R1)
Ricardo Pietreczko 3-0 Xiaochen Zong (R1)
Ryan Meikle 3-2 Fallon Sherrock (R1)
Peter Wright 3-1 Wesley Plaisier (R2)

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Peter Wright returns to winning ways at the World Darts Championship as Woodhouse downs De Decker

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